Did i destroy my ascot chang shirts?

[T900]

had 3 shirts made at ascot chang during my recent trip to hk. received them recently.

they fit well around the collar and shoulders and the stitching is impeccable.

They are also slim fit. Now here is the problem. at the advice of the salesperson (due to my 6 - 8 inch drop), i had back darts/ pleats made. These start from the bottom of the shirt hem and extend straight upwards till the arm hole area. the darts/ pleats are really extra fabric that they iron (like crease).

are these common? do you think it is unsightly? did i just plonked down good money for shirts that i should not be wearing? Thanks.

 

[Edward Appleby]

Darts are by far the easiest way to get a nice slim fit on a shirt, but some people feel that they are effeminate. If you don't have a problem with them, though, they're not against any rules or anything.

 

[T900]

The "darts" found on the back of my shirts are simply "ironed" on. much like the pleats on the cuff. Is this the standard way of doing it? i was expecting that it would be sewn together. wouldn't it be a mess after i wash them and not able to iron it the way they did?

 

[cbrokaw]

For the money you spent on the Ascot Chang shirts, you should consider getting them professionally laundered. It's very hard to iron the shirts with those darts.

For a bit extra money, you can send your shirts to HK for duplication, but without the darts...

 

[Tomasso]

Try to post some photos.

 

[Ivan Kipling]

I've ironed may a shirt and blouse, but this method of darting, I've never encountered. The darts I've dealt with, all were stitched into position. I've never had a shirt made for me, using darts. They're a ready-to-wear invention, that sometimes results in undesired lapses in fit.

 

[Luc-Emmanuel]

While it takes me 5-6 minutes to iron one of my shirt, sometime I iron one of my wife's and it's a real pain going through all these darts: back darts, side darts, breast darts...
Post some pics.

!luc

 

[Shirtmaven]

I would assume that the darts are stiched down.

It is an excellent way of getting a trimmer fitting shirt.

Should not take you that much longer to press your shirts.

Luc --Stroking the 2/200 was sort of a joke!!!!

 

[Tomasso]

Originally Posted by Shirtmaven

Luc --Stroking the 2/200 was sort of a joke!!!!

Right.

 

[teddieriley]

Why would AC use darts on a MTM shirt when they could have just used less material to start with to make the slim fit?

 

[Ivan Kipling]

From what I know about tailoring, it's easier and more expedient, to insert darts. Couture houses in Paris took sixty-five measurements for their clients, before doing a mannequin. Darts at Saint Laurent couture, were used to an absolute minimum. Same at Dior. I've corresponded with a woman who used to stand for fittings, at Saint Laurent. She called it 'arduous,' and exhausting.

 

[Hoya Saxa]

Originally Posted by teddieriley

Why would AC use darts on a MTM shirt when they could have just used less material to start with to make the slim fit?

Actually had the same question myself. I've got about 25 - 30 AC shirts in rotation. I have a 40in chest and a 32 waist. All my shirts are fairly slim fit; none have darts.

To the OP -- have you had the shirts laundered yet? I ask because when I first pull my shirts out of the box/wrapper, the pleat on the shoulder blade runs from the yoke all the way to the shirt hem. Once laundered, it comes back looking more "normal" so to speak.

Pics would be helpful here.

Hoya

 

[T900]

Thanks all for the response.

I am truly disappointed now. agreed to the suggestion because i originally thought that darts are meant to improve the fit and only done by top class tailors (nobody has ever suggested this before). Question is: Can i still wear them and not be laughed at?

Anyway, here are the pics. you guys can gloat now.

Hoya, you are right in a way; one of the darts ran all the way from the yoke to the hem. it is due to the way they fold the shirt for shipping. it looks better now that i have ironed it. still, think it's a disaster now i have read the comments here.

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/chenpe...cd.jpg&.src=ph
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/chenpe...cd.jpg&.src=ph
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/chenpe...cd.jpg&.src=ph

 

[lawyerdad]

Originally Posted by Luc-Emmanuel

While it takes me 5-6 minutes to iron one of my shirt, sometime I iron one of my wife's
Post some pics.

!luc
Dude, you are so modern!

 

[T900]

Thanks all for the response.

I am truly disappointed now. agreed to the suggestion because i originally thought that darts are meant to improve the fit and only done by top class tailors (nobody has ever suggested this before). Question is: Can i still wear them and not be laughed at?

Anyway, here are the pics. you guys can gloat now.

Hoya, you are right in a way; one of the darts ran all the way from the yoke to the hem. it is due to the way they fold the shirt for shipping. it looks better now that i have ironed it. still, think it's a disaster now i have read the comments here.

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/chenpe...cd.jpg&.src=ph
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/chenpe...cd.jpg&.src=ph
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/chenpe...cd.jpg&.src=ph